Are you safe accessing public Wi-Fi? If you’re not using any additional cybersecurity tools, the answer is probably no. While public Wi-Fi can be incredibly convenient, connecting to the internet in a café or an airport could put you at the mercy of ruthless cybercriminals. But can a virtual private network protect you on public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi networks are the perfect targets for hackers – most lack even basic network security measures, and some may have actually been set up by cybercriminals in the first place. If you want to enjoy the convenience of free public Wi-Fi without putting yourself at risk, you need a VPN.
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Hackers are always looking for an access point that will let them get at your private data, but a VPN will make it much harder for them to do this. If anyone were to try and snoop on your web traffic or sneak into your device, they would need to break through a layer of encryption. That’s why we always recommend a VPN for those who like to frequently use public Wi-Fi.
A VPN protects your online activity by redirecting your internet connection through a private internet server — your real IP address is hidden, and your activity is obscured. Anyone trying to spy on you won’t be able to see past the VPN’s encryption protocols. Even though you’re not using a secure Wi-Fi connection, the VPN will secure your connection everywhere, so you no longer need to worry so much about external protection.
It’s rare to find genuinely secure Wi-Fi networks outside of your home. An unsecured network offers hackers a great opportunity to target new victims. Public connections are often poorly protected and easily accessed by criminals.
Alternatively, bad actors can set up their own router and give it an innocuous name like “Free train Wi-fi”. As soon as a commuter unthinkingly connects to the network, their private data can be exposed.
What are hackers after when they take advantage of public, free Wi-Fi? Any and all your personal information. Here are just a few examples of the valuable data you could expose:
And here are just some of the things hackers can do to take advantage of public Wi-Fi:
Enhancing public Wi-Fi with a VPN connection will render all of the above attacks useless. The encryption process effectively shields all your data from prying eyes. While the would-be hacker will be able to see that you are indeed connected to the internet through public Wi-Fi, they won’t be able to see the details of the traffic transmitted. For all these reasons and more, we strongly recommend using a VPN for Wi-Fi.
Estimates say that 81% of Americans use public Wi-Fi hotspots regularly. However, only 1% of Americans enable a VPN to enhance their security while on public networks. The number of people using a VPN when connected to Wi-Fi is slightly higher in France (2%) and Germany (6%).
Almost half of Americans surveyed believe that public Wi-Fi is safe and doesn’t require additional precautions. This is a dangerous attitude and might cause users a lot of trouble in the long run. Automatic Wi-Fi protection doesn’t exist, it’s up to the user to take care of security. For those looking to protect themselves after hearing these alarming statistics, take note that some of the worst places you can use public Wi-Fi are big public coffee shops or restaurants, airports and hotels. The more people that have access to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, the higher the risk of danger.
Yes, a public Wi-Fi provider can potentially see your browsing history. It’s not a given because it depends on the router they are using. But modern Wi-Fi routers keep logs – what domains you visited and for how long. And if you browsed in a webpage without proper TLS/SSL encryption, they would also log the exact pages you read and the information you entered.
On mobile devices, it gets even more complicated. The Wi-Fi owner can see what pages you visit and which apps you used, and for how long.
While most public Wi-Fi hotspots won’t be sophisticated enough to block VPNs, some internet service providers can use an IP lookup tool to find the IP address associated with a VPN provider, then use a firewall to block that IP address. Luckily, NordVPN has thousands of servers to choose from, so the solution is just to pick a different server; it’s very unlikely that an ISP could block more than a few.
The main way to prevent any hackers breaking into your devices and intruding your internet connection via a public network is to educate yourself. Once you’re aware of the security risks that face you, you’ll also be up-to-date with how to prevent them. Here are the things you need to remember:
PRO TIP: Get a VPN, because your data is valuable, and needs to be protected. With VPN security, you’ll be able to enjoy the convenience of public Wi-Fi without the risks. A VPN also hides your IP address by connecting you to a VPN server, rather than one owned by your ISP. This means your activity can’t be tracked by third parties. Some VPNs also offer a whole suite of security features, not just privacy protection.
With so many VPN service providers out there, it’s hard to make the correct choice. Here a few aspects to pay attention when choosing a VPN:
So, the best choice would be to buy a subscription service – you know exactly what you’ll be getting for the money you pay. Here’s what you get with NordVPN: